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7 Reasons Not to Worry

I’m reading the book “One Thousand Gifts,” by Ann Voskamp. She writes on her personal experience of learning how to live out gratitude each day through finding God’s grace everywhere. Her writing style is transparent and poetic, inviting the reader to enter into her mind and trace her thoughts, causing them to search their own as well.

Today I started chapter 8, where she describes her struggle to trust in a loving God. It made me think about how I struggle to trust God too. It’s not that I question whether or not He exists, or whether or not anything in the Bible is true. It’s just that I don’t always know what I’m trusting in. I’m not trusting in a God Who fixes all my problems, protects me from all harm, and causes everything to go my way. So how do I stop worrying about life’s uncertainties? If I don’t have all these guarantees, what am I trusting in, exactly?

I made a list.

1. I’m trusting in a God Who hears my prayers. (Ps. 34:15)

2. I’m trusting in a God Who can do ANYTHING (ANYTHING!) (Eph. 3:20)

3. I’m trusting in a God Who loves me always (Ps. 103:11)

4. I’m trusting in a God Who has everything pass through His hands first (Matt. 10:29)

5. I’m trusting in a God Who is working for good (Rom. 8:28)

6. I’m trusting in a God Who will right all wrongs someday (2 Thess. 1:6-7)

7. I’m trusting in a God Who will trade every sorrow for joy in eternity (Rev. 21:4)

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Just reread your post on trusting God. It is so good and helpful that I’m going to print it off to refer to again and again. Thanks, Julie!

cocopuff313

Great thoughts, Julie. I think women especially struggle with worry. I jotted a note yesterday in my journal from the Francine Rivers book on Ruth that I am reading. In the book, Ruth decided that she would not allow her mind to dwell on things beyond her control. A good rule to live by.

Agreed! Sometimes it’s hard to know what is and isn’t beyond my control, and when the lines get blurred in my head it’s easy to “try harder” to create a false sense of peace. But I also know one of my top five strengths-finder strengths is “responsibility,” which can help or hinder me depending on how I apply it.

I'm Julie Swihart, married to David and mother of three. I blog about following Jesus and saving money. I'm also currently writing a series called "Birth Plans." Thanks for reading!